The present invention relates to support and guide structures for the side windows of motor vehicle bodies, of the type including a frame which defines the window opening.
Normally the frame is formed by two half-shells which are welded together and constitute one of the doors of the motor vehicle or a portion of the side body panel of the motor vehicle.
The frame includes a lower part which constitutes a side panel of the motor vehicle, a pair of substantially vertical posts which extend from the upper edge of the panel and a horizontal crosspiece which interconnects and joins the upper ends of the posts.
In the case of a window pane which is movable vertically, the two posts, in addition to their support function, act as guides for the movement of the window pane.
In the support and guide structures according to the known art, the edge of the window pane is mounted, possibly slidably, within a sealing strip housed in a perimetral groove in that portion of the frame which defines the window opening and is retained there by resilient clips. Normally the structure further includes a pair of profiled strips, disposed outside and inside the sealing strip respectively with regard to the vehicle, which act as protective and decorative elements.
The technical solution described has considerable constructional complexity and is very expensive due to the number of elements required. Furthermore, in this solution, the outer surface of the window pane is notably displaced towards the interior of the motor vehicle compared with the outer surface of those parts of the bodywork adjacent the vertical edges and the upper edge of the window.
This disposition, as well as being slightly disagreeable from an aesthetic point of view, makes the aerodynamic characteristics of the motor vehicle noticeably worse, increasing the noise at high speeds.
The object of the present invention is to provide a support and guide structure of the type specified above in which the outer surface of the window pane is displaced a relatively small distance towards the interior of the motor vehicle compared with the outer surface of that part of the bodywork adjacent the window, and which is quicker and simpler to assemble.